Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC Review

In the '90s and early 2000s, "collectathon" platformers were all the rage. Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank, Rayman 2: The Great Escape, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, and Jak and Daxter—the list goes on and on. Each and every one of these was special and left its mark on the industry, but countless other titles, unfortunately, did not. Nearly every movie or show adaptation followed the same formula, and it didn't take long for the market to become oversaturated. So, when other well-known, established series attempted to enter the platforming market, they faced stiff competition; developers had to do something unique to help their titles stand out.

But that was easier said than done. Pac-Man World 2 launched in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. It was a follow-up to 1999's Pac-Man World, which was a 3D platformer with a fixed camera angle and linear level progression. For World 2, however, Namco took a page out of other 3D platformers' books and introduced a mini-hub town, a full 3D camera, and stages with more open areas to explore, multiple paths, and other "genre staples" of the time. Although—like Pac-Man World before it—World 2 incorporated iconic Pac-Man features into the gameplay, nothing it did truly stood out, resulting in the game becoming just another generic platformer lost in a sea of many.

But then, the game got a second chance.

Following the 2022 remake Pac-Man World Re-PAC, Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is a complete remake of the original title that also reimagines it in completely new ways. While World 2 Re-PAC is World 2 at its core, stages have been altered and redesigned, bosses have been changed, Pac-Man has new attacks and abilities, all cutscenes are now fully voiced, and multiple new extras and side-content have been included for good measure. Along with the addition of a post-game that doubles the level count of the original, Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is much more than a remake—it is the game it was, perhaps, always meant to be.

Despite all of the changes, however, the question remains: is it enough? Is Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC worth a revisit on modern hardware, or is this a game better off forgotten?

The Story:

Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC opens with a lengthy cutscene featuring the four classic ghosts—Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde—as they explore Pac-Village and cause general mischief while the townspeople sleep. It is then that they discover the Golden Fruit hanging from the tree at the center of the village and decide to help themselves. Little do they know, this tree is where the ancient demon "Spooky" was sealed away, with the Golden Fruit serving as the key to his release. Now, with Spooky's return, he and the four ghosts head off to Ghost Island to exact his revenge. Not only does he plan to take over Pac-Village, but the entire world as well.

The next morning, Pac-Man awakens to find the village covered in thorns from Spooky's Wormwood tree, with most of the paths leaving the town blocked off. With only one path left clear, Pac-Man sets off on an adventure to retrieve the missing Golden Fruit, stop Spooky, and set the world right once again.

While the original Pac-Man World 2 contained the same story, Re-PAC introduces full voice acting to the game, with dialogue added to every scene. Pac-Man also now has a voice, with Martin T. Sherman returning from Pac-Man World 3. With these changes in place, the tone of the story comes off more as a lighthearted Saturday morning cartoon, as opposed to the semi-unsettling style of the original.

Gameplay:

Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is a standard 3D platforming game with a Pac-Man twist on the gameplay. Pac-Man can run, jump, swim, and kick enemies in front of him, and a well-timed jump will allow him to power-bounce off of the ground, sending him even higher into the air. Pac-Man can also rev up his run to dash up and off of slopes, and collected pellets can be thrown at enemies for extra damage. Some enemies can only be defeated this way, while others will need to be kicked or jumped on to be taken out.

In addition to his normal move set, a Steel Ball will transform Pac-Man into a metal form, which is immune to fire and can walk on the bottom of waterways. This transformation is limited, with a timer that counts down from the moment the item is picked up. Pac-Man also can pick up standard Power Pellets to transform into his iconic Mega Pac-Man form, which is the only way he can defeat Ghosts. These are placed in specific maze-like areas in each level, where all Ghosts must be taken out to unlock a special item or, in some cases, to progress.

The levels themselves are pretty straightforward, with platforming challenges and mazes throughout. Some stages feature gimmicks, such as outrunning a giant snowball or skating across the ice, but the vast majority of them are linear and focus on the platforming aspects of the game. This includes making use of Pac-Man's bounce and dash abilities to make difficult jumps, and sometimes even following a trail of floating pellets to reach new areas. Thankfully, the controls feel nice and smooth, making even the more challenging sections a breeze, but that's not to say the game doesn't ramp up in difficulty. Later levels are unforgiving, and one wrong move will send Pac-Man plummeting to his death, but because of the controls, experienced platform players shouldn't have too many issues. What does become a challenge, however, is the fact that every level is loaded with collectibles, and many of them are easy to miss.

Again, sticking with the Pac-Man theme, each type of Fruit is hidden in every single level, with multiple pieces to find. Doing so will unlock bonuses and additional costumes for Pac-Man to wear and is required for those going for 100% completion. Additionally, Time Attack challenges open up for each stage, which push players to complete the level within a specified amount of time. This gives players even more reasons to return to stages again and again as they attempt to beat their records and complete all "missions."

When it comes to Boss Battles, each one is a challenge and contains multiple phases. Bosses are completely new in Re-PAC and require players to not only memorize attack patterns and wait for openings but also be nearly perfect with their movements and course of action. Each Boss is harder than the last, with a Final Boss that is sure to push even hardened gamers to their limit. The game does offer an "Easy Mode"—which makes it impossible to take damage and adds additional platforms to stages—but even this wouldn't be enough to make up for the skill level required to finish the game. It is a surprising moment in an otherwise easy experience, and this is only the halfway point.

The Extras and Post Game:

While playing Re-PAC, players collect mini statues and coins. These coins can be spent at gacha machines to obtain additional statues, which can then be placed around the village. Collecting them all requires time, dedication, and a significant amount of luck, as some statues require 100% completion of the main levels.

Beyond the statues, Pac-Man Arcade Machines can be collected and unlocked for each area; these allow players to play classic, 3D top-down Pac-Man style mazes. While the arcade machines add extra replay value, the entirely new Post-Game is what truly changes the experience.

After finishing the main story, players can return to Pac-Village to enter a new set of stages based on the original game. These stages are more difficult, enemies are tougher, and environmental hazards limit where you can safely step. This Post-Game effectively doubles the length of Pac-Man World 2—which usually takes about five hours to complete—and serves as a true test of skill.

Should you play it?

Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is more than just a remaster; it is what the original title should have been. It contains double the content, introduces new moves and abilities, and refines the existing levels. While the original wasn't game-changing, Re-PAC is a solid linear platformer and a great callback to the "good old days."

Although the "final" boss might be one of the most annoying bosses ever featured in a 3D platformer, fans of the genre will still have a lot of fun with this title.

VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5